No politics, no bombs, no idiots. Rules I can get behind. The Pug is one of those places that you either love or hate...I love it. The bartender is no nonsense, yet attentive and nice. The decor is entertaining to say the least. Theres so much interesting stuff to look at/find, you wont be bored. The beer list is awesome (their bloody mary is pretty good too). Love my visits to The Pug, looking forward to many more. read more

The Millie and Al's of Atlas District????!!!! Divey and cluttered with boxing items from yesteryear up the whazooooo!!!!!! Tons and tons of beer options and barkeep Scott (who will be heading up Toki's bar once open upstairs soon VERY SOON!!!!) can make you anything up.....grabbed a few Winter Wheats and a Dale's Pale Ale. Hotdogs or grilled cheese.....food options are few but heyyyyyy run down the street to the taco stand then come back. :) The Queen Vic crew chillin at the bar too..... read more

We went for dinner at Toki Underground, but if you've ever been there or just read the reviews, you know that it's going to be a while. The Pug is located directly downstairs from Toki Underground which is very convenient. We made our reservations upstairs and proceeded downstairs. It might look sketchy from the outside, but looks are deceiving. The Pug is actually a very chill, laid back dive bar. They have a list on the wall of beers they have available. The prices weren't bad because we got the tall cans. The staff was friendly and they accept credit cards. I'd drop in again while I wait for my reservations. read more

If you like hole in the wall bars The Pug will delight you. I came here for the first time on Saturday and it was a chill spot. The bartender was nice and the crowd was laid back. read more

This place is great. Me and my girlfriend arrived, a bit drunk, after the US vs. Portugal game in the World Cup. Upon entering, we were given hot dogs by an italian/canadian man in a hat. I don't know if he actually work there or not. Anyway, we met some fun people and had a really good time. Would recommend anyone in the area going here for a couple of drink. The beer selection was good too. read more

Nice neighborhood type bar. Small quarters but we somehow grabbed 3 seats at the bar. There were also tables in the back (all full) with board games. Music was a little strange (I remember hearing the Can-Can at one point) but it was fine for the background. It was a freezing cold day so the hot Apple Cider was a godsend but I switched to mixed drinks quickly after. Lots of drunk people by 11am made the place get loud and crowded. One bathroom for each sex meant long bathroom lines. Bartenders seemed nice but a bit overwhelmed (took me 15 minutes at one point to get a drink...and I was sitting at the bar!). read more

As neighborhood bars go, the Pug is pretty much like many of the others that line H St. or in any other area in the District, for that matter...beer, booze, lots of odd memorabilia and knick knacks hanging on the wall. The Pug does do beer well with it's varied selection. What sets the Pug apart (or at least makes it memorable) are the Rock'em Sock'em Robots scattered throughout the bar. For those too young to remember, Rock'em Sock'em Robots is, essentially, thumb-wrestling for those not athletically-inclined enough to thumb-wrestle. In a strange way it fits perfectly with the the boxing motif of the bar. In a nutshell, the Pug is a good bar. It's not a destination bar, but it's definitely worth stopping in for a drink on your way to someplace else. read more

The people here are very nice! My friend and I were waiting for our party to be called for Toki Underground upstairs but didn't want to stand and wait outside. She isn't 21 yet, so I wasn't sure if we would be allowed to sit in The Pug. We thought it would be ok, since it was early (6:30-ish on Friday evening). They let us sit inside at a table without ordering anything, so we just sat, talked, and watched the news on their huge TV's. The other customers seemed cool too, so I approve of the crowd here. read more

Awesome dive bar! Awesome beer selection! Super chill vibe. I snagged a seat at the bar with a friend. The bar has some eclectic decoration.

Had a blast playing connect four and where else can you get cans of boh oh wait just about anywhere, but still had fun catching up w a friend and meeting the local patrons. I have to say I dig their t-shirt in Commie fashion. I heard good things about the food, staff was laid back and nice. read more

been to this place a few times, usually when waiting to be seated upstairs at toki underground. the drinks usually aren't very good, and the service isn't any better. every time I have gone there's the same overweight bartender with a man bun and teenage girl attitude problem servicing the bar. tried going to toki underground with a friend a few days ago, went to sit inside at the bar because it was pouring rain outside. I'm not big on drinking on an empty stomach. my friend and I had been sitting for not even a minute when the bartender shouted to us, "you all gonna order?" my friend and I looked at each other and back at the bartender and said we were fine, thanks. he shouts back, "well if you're not gonna drink, you need to go. this is kind of a BAR," he said with the snarkiest tone ever. I get they're trying to make money but c'mon... I've been several times and typically order drinks before heading up to toki but just wasn't feeling it on this particular night and I get booted just because we wanted to keep out of the rain? there was plenty of available seating left, for the record, so not like we were in the way. long story short, there are lots of better bars in walking distance to this one, all with better service AND better beverages. I'd head to one of those instead, even if you plan on grabbing food at toki underground. read more

I'm not much of a pug person, but I'll make an exception for this one. The bf and I stopped by here for a drink before dinner. Mostly because it was right downstairs from where dinner was, and it was a two hour wait for dinner, but it was still pretty fantastic! Being quite a divey bar the prices on all the brews they had stocked were quite reasonable even if the selection is a bit small. Later on this place really gets hopping man! If you have anxiety about lots of people being crammed into a tight space then you probably shouldn't go here. Service is pretty quick and speedy with a minimal wait, maybe next time we wander over there I'll get to try some of the bar bites. It's located next to a lot of other bars on H street, so you can hop over to a new one if it isn't your thing or even set up a bar crawl night. The only things you might want to watch out for here is parking spaces are a premium commodity and it is not located near the metro, but you can find some bus stops fairly close by. read more

Look, there are plenty of places that appeal to a quote/unquote "hipster" crowd that I absolutely effin' love, but the Pug is not one of them. It feels like we want it to be awesome and it thinks it is awesome (just see the 4 stars here), but really if you TRULY think about it... It's not so awesome. Awesome. What it is is a shithole, with strong but boring drinks, a pis pour beer selection, and a hit or miss staff. One night you'll get an awesome bartender who is glad to shoot the shit and get you drunk; the next you'll get a cockeyed stare like they want to punch you in the face for ordering a drink. I like dive bars a lot. I like good dive bars even more. I am big on being able to hang out with friends and get hammered. I don't need specialty cocktails and nice lounge sofas and all that other Dirty Martini of Smith Common crap, but I do need nice atmosphere, cool staff, and a homely, comfortable, feeling when I'm in the place -- not the sense that I'm going to get grabbed by the neck and hurled on the street. I do that on my own when I stumble blind drunk out onto the street at 2 AM, thanks. Biggest pro for The Pug are the prices, which remain cheap. read more

The pug is fun... it's like a dirty old/hipster/local joint with yummy beers and cheese balls. Best place to waste time when you're waiting for a spot at Toki. The bartender was the friendliest but he served his purpose. Did i mention they have cheeseballs? Mmmmm cheeseballs. read more

I would call this a dive bar with a heart of gold--you know, that kind of bar that almost seems grimy but then you realize has just been well-worn by countless laughs, conversations, and good-natured arguments. The bartender is old school, and seemed to be having a great time bantering with the locals, but then came out from behind the bar to take my friends' and my order. The walls are plastered with every type of sign, poster, and piece of kitsch known to man, which gives it a really friendly, cozy vibe. On top of all that, the beer selection is fantastic and they had a nice mulled cider to warm your insides through the days of the polar vortex. read more

Don't go here on a weekend night - we tried. It's not a great space for crowds. The bar is SUPER narrow so with people sitting at the bar and in the seats on the wall it was difficult to even get to the back of the bar without tripping over people's feet. Not many seats and when all the seats are taken there is really no place to stand either. Seems like a cool place to go, just not on a weekend. read more

Solid, unpretentious neighborhood bar. I felt a little sad when I went back to MD knowing the Pug was more than a few blocks away. Great beer selection. read more

Great atmosphere. My friends and I spent most of our evening in the back of this laid back establishment. There are a selection of broken/mismatched board games, which prove to be pretty fun. Drink prices are reasonable. Definitely recommend this place for a relaxing dive bar. read more

A nice little bar to chill and relax. A lot of people visit here while waiting for a table at Toki underground. They have such a great system because you can bring your drinks from the pug up to Toki. The pug is a typical American dive bar with a relaxing atmosphere. Some people come to catch a game. I was there on a weeknight so it was pretty slow (mostly people waiting for Toki it seems). However, they have a decent selection of beers and interesting decoration inside. I really like the atmosphere on a weeknight. read more

Maybe I missed what's so great about this place when I wandered out to the still-not-safe-enough H Street on Monday night. There was no free-flowing conversation among patrons, the bartender was not charismatic as promised...dunno...I felt yelp mislead me here. This place is that bar those guys go to. You know the one. The one that people have a beer at. Pretty boring. The boxing "theme" was a bit forced and the old, dive feel was forced and fake (you can actually see the paint marks on the lighting covers to make it seems more orange/brown or dark inside). Ah well. And Brooklyn Lager kinda sucks. Too bad. read more

I really like The Pug. I wouldn't call it a dive bar, it's not a sports bar, and certainly not a lounge. The Pug doesn't cater to any specific demographic-- but if you do cling to some kind of label, you'll surely find someone at The Pug to chat up anyway. They do have a sign that says no bullshit allowed so if you're the up-tight drama type, stay away. No, The Pug is just a damn good bar. One of a dying breed. What impresses me the most about The Pug are the bartenders.... those guys are ridiculously good at what they do. Despite often being packed on any given night, and particularly so on the weekends, these guys were quick to get to everyone's orders-- cracking open a beer with one hand, throwing together a mixed drink with the other (and they are generous pours to boot), taking another request, all while talking to me about his beloved Cubbies. And if you're friendly to them, they might just throw a couple Jameson shots your way when you close up your tab.... It's a little more expensive than I'd like, but I'm also stingy so take that for what it's worth. I guess the prices are pretty much in line with most of DC. Bonus points since one of the bartenders lives just down the street from me. read more

We stopped in here while waiting for our table at the upstairs restaurant. In short, it's a dark grimy bar with a good assortment of beers and a hometown bar feel. I like every bit of it, and wish I had one in my neighborhood. As Mike S. said, this is a fucking BAR... nothing trendy, no neon lights... just a cool ass watering hole. read more

The Pug - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

One of THE GREAT LOCAL BARS. Love the boxing theme. All-World bartenders, great mix of locals, natives, hipsters, etc. Not a place for your fru-fru fancy-schmancy martinis etc....'come on in, have a beer, stary a while. read more

I give it more of a 3.5 star, but this place is kinda like a dive bar... it's small inside, got some interesting mix of beer selections (some are pretty awful)... a cocktail of the night... (the summer punch was really tasty)... and then they have some random food too... like grilled cheese (which was actually pretty yummy too) very limited seating... tv and random trivia pursuit cards in the back... overall.. its a decent little local divey bar... read more

Great selection of beers‼My boyfriend said great place to hide and the beer is cold. But as for me it reminds me of college. Great old school music. Seating in the back for two or a group. read more

The Pug - Yummy beers for 2‼Fun vibe‼ great music - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Came here last night to catch the Celtics game. They were watching soccer, but graciously (after giving me lots of shit) changed one of the tvs for me. Beer - average selection, average prices. Food - I likely won't touch. Staff - anyone that gives me shit right off the bat gets points. Clientele - being asked politely by the drunk Irish guy if I wanted to "make love" and communicating with the Gallaudet students via text definitely adds charm. This will be (just moved here) my new favorite neighborhood bar to watch sports (since I hate sports bars and Granville Moore's being my other favorite neighborhood bar but has no tv). read more

What's not to like? Awesome friendly bartenders, good drinks, great atmosphere which usually isn't too loud or too packed. I absolutely ADORE this place. Definitely my favorite neighborhood bar in the H Street area. read more

really cool dive bar that had character! conveniently located so you can grab a beer or two while waiting for your table at Toki underground or just drop by to hang out. the beer selection is good but the draft selection would be more fun if they have a few more drafts especially some good dark beers! that last bench on the right need some fixing! My GF fell off the bench thankfully she wasn't hurt just a little bruise. read more

The Pug - eat me - diversified vending machine :) - American Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Pretty chill dive bar as far as dive bars go. I drank some sort of IPA that a random hipster recommended to me. He couldn't stop talking to me about how hoppy it was, and I'm not much of a beer expert so I took his word for it. I drank another four beers for $5 each, so this is a pretty affordable place to get your buzz on. No food here but there is a vending machine with snacks. Lots of food options around H Street, and a Popeyes Chicken next door. The service here was pretty attentive, I didn't have to make awkward patron-to-bartender eye contact to summon a refill. I don't come to H Street often, but I'm sure I'll be back. read more

My favorite local dive bar! Service is always great and there's a good selection of beers. Space is limited, but never had an issue finding a spot to hang out. No food offered, but several places close by on H. A few tvs can be seen playing movies or sports. The Pug continues to be a group favorite. read more

Excellent low-key, no frills, original dive bar on H street. It gets surprisingly crowded and busy, but usually pretty quiet and no-hassle. A few brews on tap, most of them by can. They don't do any type of "bomb-esque" shots and they don't do politics - definitely worth a stop. read more

Chill, friendly, unpretentious bar. Definitely my favorite place in my 'hood. Good draft beer selection, homey interior, board games, sports. read more

Good beer selection (including premiums in cans), unpretentious vibe, cool crowds usually. I'm a fan of the stacks of trivial pursuit cards they have handy. Highlight of the H St. corridor/Atlas District. I wish we had something like this around Dupont, but I don't think it is possible... Great place to get a couple drinks while waiting for a table at Sticky Rice or Granville Moore's. read more

The Pug: No Specials No Bombs No Politics No Shooters If you're looking to drink on H. St. you've found your spot. Great bar that cares about the community and has a pretty good beer list. If you wanna watch sports on H. st. you've found your place. read more

There was a short husky man that was very rude from the beginning. When I walked in I asked what were the local brews served, he said "it's on the wall" which has about a million stickers and pictures and it's really dark, so it's nearly impossible to read. He also said that it was cash only when they advertise discover, master and Visa cards available for use. read more

If I lived within walking distance of The Pug I would be here nightly. Neighborhood dives do not come any better than this. Seriously, I have extreme envy for everyone lucky enough ot be close enough to be a regular. Easily my favorite bar in DC. read more

It's a pure dive. Cash only, strong drinks, dark inside. Absolutely charming in its own way. Worth a stop if you're in the area and looking for someplace with zero pretentions. Also hidden gem in the back there's a vending machine with good eats from around the neighborhood if you need something late night. read more

Cheap drinks/ strong drinks/ no frills. Not very diverse in there- sometimes it looks like a Make America Great Again meeting in there / hang out spot - but it's whatever- just keep drinking until you're ready to leave. read more

I was with a group at The Pug this weekend and had one of the most flabbergasting experiences of all time with a bartender who was incredibly rude to us for no reason whatsoever. I didn't catch his name, but he was a skinny bald guy with a serious attitude. We ordered 2 hot dogs and 3 brats from one bartender, but another (rude, skinny guy) delivered them to our table. Rude Bartender: Here are your three hot dogs. Me: Oh... uh... do you mean brats? RB: NO. I mean hot dogs. Maybe you can't hear me because you have paint in your ear. Me: Uh... maybe I'm just confused because we ordered three brats and two hot dogs. RB: Right. Let me count for you. That's one hot dog (*Thump* as he picks the basket up and throws it back on the table). Two hot dogs (*thump*). And one brat makes three (*thump*). You probably just didn't hear me because of all the PAINT in your ear. Then he walked off. I waited until later to ask him if he had a problem with me, at which point he called me baby and told me he was just joking. Obviously, we have different ideas of humor. read more

I started a tab with the bartender and during that time there were charges to Uber and Starbucks. This is theft and you cannot trust your credit card with the bartender here. It's a shame too because I really enjoyed this bar. read more